Abuse, Fear and the Trauma Vortex

In this session, we discuss the nature of trauma and the fight-flight-freeze response. We talk about the natural ability to recover from trauma and how this is inhibited, which creates what Peter Levine calls trauma vortexes. These cause us to remain traumatized and be unable to find recovery. The body has to discharge the trauma through physical expression of the emotion, such as yelling, shouting or screaming (anger), crying, sobbing or wailing (grief) or shaking and trembling (fear). Trauma in the form of shame may also discharge through laughter.